Saturday 25.12.2010

Couldn`t look more Christmassy out there: snow shower this morning, then bright and crisp and even wherever you look. Merry Crimble and pass the Ginger Wine.

Tuesday 21.12.2010

The shortest day and what a day: a "heartbreaking work of staggering genius" I kept thinking, though I`ve never read the book of that name.
It began spectacularly with a full lunar eclipse and as the moon slipped below the horizon in the West the sun rose into a clear blue sky, making the icing sugar snow sparkle. It stayed freezing cold and almost eerily still all day - a whole lexicon of superlatives couldn`t have done it justice and, at least on this occasion,it felt as if photos would have been a bit superfluous.
And then the morning ceremony was reversed as the sun sank slowly down - in the south at this time of the year - and the full moon rose magnificently over the hill to the north,shooting a path of light across the snow, making it sparkle all over again.
The gods can certainly put on a good show when they try. Happy solstice.

Sunday 19.12.2010

Snow continues to float down in a Christmassy way, oblivious to the chaos and disruption it`s causing across the country: thousands of disgruntled people trying to `get away` and insistent that "more should be done."
All that stress and irritation seemed a world away as dog and I strolled (the only type of perambulation possible in wellies and a Michelin-man snow suit on a slippy road, wobbled might be even more accurate)) to the top of the hill: a vista of white, ice-blues and pale greys, the bleating of sheep ringing across an otherwise still and silent landscape.
Later I watched the snow flakes drift innocently across a nearly full moon: wouldn`t have surprised me to see a sleigh and reindeer flying over.
Luckily I don`t need to `get away`.

Friday 17.12.2010

Is there a more satisfying - and warming - task than stacking up firewood? No "Walk" as such but have must have clocked up a few miles today, sawing, carting, splitting and stacking firewood.
Much snow, truly freezing temperatures and nation grinding to a halt for the second time in as many weeks. And I still haven`t got those skis.

Thursday 9.12.2010

Pole-axed by The Lurgy. Sounds like a punk band.

Chambers has it thus:
"lurgy or lurgi noun (lurgies) 1 originally a highly infectious non-specific disease • caught the dreaded lurgy. 2 now a any illness that is not very serious............
ETYMOLOGY: 1950s: although it is generally believed that this was first coined in the radio show, The Goons, there is slight etymological evidence that dialectal variations of it already existed, eg fever-lurgy a euphemism for 'laziness'"

Prefer the Goon`s theory but have indeed been `lazy` - a day off work spent sitting watching the Great Thaw. Have decided the viciously cold weather we`ve been having really isn`t very British. This dripping, slushy stuff is more like it.

Monday 06.12.10

First post of the new month and I`ve been busy...walking. A week `on the road` between other people`s flats and the deep,deep disruptive snow has necessitated a lot of walking,mostly but not exclusively of the urban variety but none the worse for that.
After last week`s tramp round Aberdeen, spent Friday and Saturday walking the slushy, snowy streets of Edinburgh, up to the Castle (but not right in - too expensive!), along Princes Street (several times) and generally taking in the Christmas atmosphere.
Avalanche warnings for Arthur`s Seat so we left that for another day.
On the first evening walked along the waterfront at Granton - the combination of snow and water in the waning light quite magical.

Oh - and Frank didn`t make it....snowed out but he`s promised to re-schedule....for February?...has he seen what it was like here last February?